NEWLY-CROWNED UK champion Matthew Stevens and world No 1 Mark Williams will bring high hopes for a home champion when the Welsh Open returns to Cardiff next month.

NEWLY-CROWNED UK champion Matthew Stevens and world No 1 Mark Williams will bring high hopes for a home champion when the Welsh Open returns to Cardiff next month.

The event has previously been held at the Newport Centre and the Cardiff International Arena but now moves to the Welsh Institute of Sport for the first time from January 19-25.

Welsh dragon Stevens, who claimed a long-overdue first ranking title at York in November, currently heads snooker's new order of merit after reaching a semi-final and quarter-final in the other two events so far this season.

Williams is also in good shape to go one better than the runner-up to Stephen Hendry in the Welsh last year before going on to win the Masters and world titles.

Penarth-based Dominic Dale and Anthony Davies of Barry will also be bidding to give the home fans something to cheer about.

All of the world's top 32 players will be in action in Cardiff, including Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins, Paul Hunter, Ken Doherty, Steve Davis and Jimmy White.